Gerrit Cole Wins American League Cy Young Award
As expected, Gerrit Cole is the 2023 Cy Young winner in the American League. The Baseball Writers Association of America announced the Yankee star has won the award. Former Minnesota right-hander Sonny Gray was the runner-up, while Toronto’s Kevin Gausman took home third place.
There wasn’t a ton of intrigue, as Cole received all 30 first-place votes. While he’s a six-time All-Star and two-time ERA champion, this is his first career Cy Young. No AL pitcher topped Cole’s 209 innings, while he led Junior Circuit pitchers (minimum 150 innings) with a 2.63 ERA. He was sixth among that group with a 27% strikeout rate and trailed only Gausman and Pablo López with 222 punchouts overall.
That well-rounded dominance made Cole an easy call as the AL’s best pitcher in the eyes of voters. It’s his sixth top five finish and the third time he has been a finalist, as he’d twice before finished as runner-up. Having at least one Cy Young on his résumé could go a long way towards burnishing an eventual Hall of Fame case.
For now, the 33-year-old will look to replicate this year’s success in hopes of leading the Yankees back to the postseason. Despite Cole turning in one of the best seasons of his career, New York floundered midseason and finished barely above .500. Cole will be in the Bronx for at least one more year. He’s headed into year five of a nine-year, $324MM free agent contract. He has the ability to opt out after next season.
Gray received 20 second-place votes to earn the highest Cy Young finish of his career. It was well timed for the three-time All-Star, who hit free agency a couple weeks ago. Gausman secured seven second-place votes and was the most common selection for third. Stray second-place votes went to Luis Castillo and Zach Eflin, although Baltimore’s Kyle Bradish edged out that duo for fourth in overall balloting.
Others to receive at least one vote: López, George Kirby, Framber Valdez, Chris Bassitt, Félix Bautista and Chris Martin. The full results are available at the BBWAA website.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Brewers To Add Rickie Weeks To Coaching Staff
The Brewers are adding Rickie Weeks to the major league coaching staff, as first reported by Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. A coaching position is opening with the reported promotion of bench coach Pat Murphy to manager.
It isn’t clear if Weeks will receive Murphy’s old title. Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel writes that the 41-year-old is taking on responsibilities that would traditionally fall to the bench coach, however.
Whatever the specific role, it’ll be the first MLB coaching gig for the longtime second baseman. The #2 overall pick of the 2003 draft, Weeks played in the big leagues for nearly a decade and a half. Eleven seasons came in Milwaukee, where he made an All-Star Game in 2011. Weeks hit .249/.347/.424 as a member of the Brew Crew. He later suited up with the Mariners, Diamondbacks and Rays before finishing his playing days in 2017.
Weeks returned to his original organization in February 2022 — this time as a player development assistant. He clearly impressed in that role, as he lands an MLB coaching job two seasons later. Weeks was floated as a candidate for the managerial job between Craig Counsell’s departure and the agreement to hire Murphy. It isn’t known if he received a formal interview for that position.
Promoting Weeks directly to manager would have been a bit of a surprise given his limited coaching experience (although the Guardians tabbed Stephen Vogt just one year removed from his retirement as a player). Working on Murphy’s staff could position Weeks well for managerial opportunities down the line. In the interim, he’ll be back in the dugout at American Family Field.
Latest On Shohei Ohtani’s Free Agent Timeline
An offseason defined by Shohei Ohtani’s free agency hasn’t been especially active within the first couple weeks. For most of the game’s top spenders, the winter may well be defined by whether they land the two-way superstar.
Those clubs may not have to wait long to learn the answer. Jeff Passan of ESPN wrote this morning that teams involved in the Ohtani market believe the expected AL MVP might make his decision early, potentially before the Winter Meetings begin on December 4.
Despite that possibility, there haven’t been many teams substantively linked to Ohtani. That’s by design, as it seems his camp isn’t interested in spotlighting his free agent process. Passan writes that clubs pursuing the three-time All-Star believe that if word of a sit-down with Ohtani were made public, “it will be held against the team.”
Even in the absence of substantive reports of teams meeting with Ohtani, it’s not hard to identify the likelier suitors. The incumbent Angels have made no secret of their hope of keeping him around. Teams like the Padres and Cubs have been mentioned in more speculative fashion.
Passan unsurprisingly lists the Dodgers, Rangers and Red Sox as teams likely to be involved. Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto danced around an Ohtani question at last week’s GM Meetings but acknowledged the Seattle front office would “presumably” need to try to value a free agent who is without precedent. Dipoto subsequently indicated the team was open to bringing in a designated hitter, saying they’d “love to have a full-time DH, a banger who just goes out and bangs” (link via Daniel Kramer of MLB.com).
The Giants are clearly searching for a star player. Both New York franchises figure to be involved. Passan indicates that the Blue Jays, not as frequently speculated as an Ohtani landing spot because of geography, could look for a way to make a splash this offseason (although he doesn’t specifically link Toronto to Ohtani beyond what seems a loosely speculative tie). Other teams could kick around ways to get involved on a player this unique. It’d be a real surprise if he didn’t land with a club accustomed to running a player payroll in the upper third of MLB, though.
Ohtani officially rejected a qualifying offer from the Angels this afternoon. That doesn’t affect his chances of returning to Anaheim. He was never going to consider a $20.325MM salary. Having to relinquish a draft choice and potentially international signing bonus room isn’t much of a factor for a player of this magnitude. Organizations considering a record-shattering contract may know within the next few weeks whether they’ll get that opportunity.
Brandon Hyde, Skip Schumaker Named Managers Of The Year
The Baseball Writers Association of America announced the results of the Manager of the Year balloting. Miami’s Skip Schumaker and Baltimore’s Brandon Hyde were the respective winners in each league. It’s the first such honor for both.
That’s apparent in Schumaker’s case, as the 43-year-old takes home the hardware for his first season on the job. The Marlins hired him off the Cardinals’ coaching staff last offseason. Miami was coming off a 69-93 showing but improved by 15 games in Schumaker’s first year. The Fish went 84-78 and secured the second Wild Card spot in the National League. It marked their first playoff appearance in a 162-game season since 2003.
Few anticipated Miami making that kind of run. They were widely perceived as the fourth-best team in the NL East entering the season. Their success came despite a -57 run differential, as Miami went a staggering 33-14 in one-run contests. How much of that is attributable to good sequencing is up for debate, although it stands to reason voters are giving Schumaker credit for his successful handling of the bullpen in so many late-game situations. The Fish were bounced in the Wild Card round by the Phillies.
While the Marlins were a surprise playoff team, the Orioles claiming the #1 seed in the Junior Circuit might have been even less expected. Baltimore had clearly positioned itself as a team on the rise following an 83-79 showing in 2022. Yet few projected them as favorites in what looked like a stacked AL East going into the year.
Hyde’s club nevertheless improved by 18 games, jumping to a 101-51 season. They ran down and held off the Rays to claim the division title. Baltimore stuck by Gunnar Henderson through some early-season struggles and saw the talented infielder blossom into a star. He was a unanimous choice for Rookie of the Year, while Adley Rutschman reinforced his place as an elite catcher in his second big league campaign. Kyle Bradish stepped forward as an unexpected staff ace, while top pitching prospect Grayson Rodriguez had a promising second half.
The season didn’t end as the organization hoped. The O’s were swept in the Division Series by the eventual champion Rangers. (That’s not relevant for awards purposes, as the voting is conducted before the postseason.) Hyde’s club nevertheless made a clear statement they’re positioned as consistent contenders entering what’ll be his sixth year at the helm.
Schumaker edged past Craig Counsell (then of the Brewers) and Atlanta’s Brian Snitker in the NL voting. The finalists were joined by Torey Lovullo, Dave Roberts and David Bell in receiving at least one first-place vote. Hyde’s victory was moire resounding, as he picked up 27 of 30 first-place nods. The Rangers’ Bruce Bochy, who finished in second, got the other three selections. Tampa Bay’s Kevin Cash finished in third place.
Full voting results: National League, American League
Diamondbacks Select Blake Walston, Outright Chris Rodriguez
The D-Backs announced they’ve added left-hander Blake Walston to the 40-man roster. That ensures he won’t be selected in next month’s Rule 5 draft. To clear a spot, the Snakes outrighted righty Chris Rodriguez off the roster.
Arizona drafted Walston 26th overall in 2019. The 6’5″ hurler was an upside flier out of a North Carolina high school. His minor league résumé has been somewhat mixed, although he still draws praise for his projectable frame and athleticism. Baseball America rated him as the #5 prospect in a quality Arizona system midseason.
Walston spent all of 2023 at Triple-A Reno. That’s an exceedingly difficult environment for a young pitcher. He posted a decent 4.52 ERA in 149 1/3 innings covering 30 starts. That came without particularly impressive strikeout or walk numbers, though. He punched out only 15.6% of opponents while walking 14% of batters faced.
Arizona just claimed Rodriguez off waivers from the Angels a couple weeks ago. They’ve succeeded in passing him through unclaimed, meaning he’ll remain in the organization without occupying a 40-man spot. A hard-throwing reliever, Rodriguez has battled shoulder and back injuries for the better part of three years. He has barely pitched since 2021. He’ll hopefully be able to put the injuries beyond him and compete for a bullpen job in Spring Training.
Dodgers Add Three To 40-Man Roster
The Dodgers have selected the contracts of three players: right-handers Nick Frasso and Landon Knack and catcher Hunter Feduccia. The trio would have otherwise been eligible for the Rule 5 draft. The 40-man count is up to 38.
Frasso was a fourth round selection of the Blue Jays in 2020. The Dodgers acquired him at the ’22 deadline in the deal sending Mitch White to Toronto. A Loyola Marymount product, Frasso has mid-upper 90s velocity and is an excellent athlete. Baseball America recently ranked him as the #5 prospect in the L.A. system. He spent the bulk of 2023 at Double-A Tulsa, working to a 3.91 ERA in 73 2/3 innings. The 6’5″ hurler struck out almost 30% of opponents against a solid 7.6% walk rate in that breakout showing.
Knack, 26, was a second round pick in the same draft. A senior sign out of East Tennessee State, he’s a potential back-end starter. Knack split the ’23 campaign between Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City, posting a sub-3.00 ERA at both stops. He allowed 2.51 earned runs per nine in 100 1/3 frames overall, striking out 24% of batters faced with a 7.3% walk percentage.
Feduccia, also 26, is a left-handed hitter out of LSU. A 12th-round pick in 2018, he has spent six seasons in the minors. He logged all of 2023 in OKC, running a .279/.387/.451 batting line over 380 trips to the plate. Feduccia walked at a huge 15.3% clip, struck out around 21% of the time and connected on 11 home runs.
Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 first reported the selections of Frasso and Feduccia this afternoon.
Padres Select Jairo Iriarte, Outright Reiss Knehr
The Padres have added pitching prospect Jairo Iriarte to the 40-man roster to keep him out of the Rule 5 draft, tweets Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune. In a corresponding transaction, right-hander Reiss Knehr has been outrighted off the roster. San Diego’s 40-man count remains at 34.
Iriarte, a 6’2″ right-hander, had a breakout campaign in 2023. The Venezuela native divided the year across High-A Fort Wayne and Double-A San Antonio. Working mostly as a starter, he pitched to a 3.49 ERA in 90 1/3 innings over 27 appearances. Iriarte fanned almost a third of opposing hitters while working against generally older competition.
The 21-year-old also walked nearly 12% of batters faced. He clearly still needs to develop as a strike-thrower, but his arsenal has impressed evaluators. Baseball America slotted him fifth among San Diego prospects midseason. He would certainly have been selected in the Rule 5, making this an easy call for the front office.
Knehr has spent the past two and a half seasons as a depth starter for the Friars. He has a 5.96 ERA in 48 1/3 big league innings. The Fordham product owns a 5.54 ERA in parts of three Triple-A campaigns. Knehr underwent Tommy John surgery in July and is likely to miss a good portion of the 2024 season.
Pirates Select Braxton Ashcraft, Tsung-Che Cheng
The Pirates announced they’ve added right-hander Braxton Ashcraft and infielder Tsung-Che Cheng to the 40-man roster. Pittsburgh’s roster count now sits at 39.
Ashcraft, 24, was a second-round pick out of a Texas high school in 2018. The 6’5″ hurler has moved slowly through the minors. The canceled season cost him a development year in 2020. He subsequently underwent Tommy John surgery and barely pitched from 2021-22. Ashcraft returned to the mound this past season, logging 52 2/3 innings through 19 starts. He posted a 2.39 ERA while striking out just under 30% of opposing hitters against a tidy 5.2% walk rate.
Baseball America recently slotted Ashcraft as the #10 prospect in the Bucs’ system, praising a four-pitch arsenal. Cheng slotted just above him, ranking ninth on that list. A native of Taiwan, he’s a 5’7″ middle infielder. As one would expect given his size, the left-handed hitter draws more praise for his contact skills and athleticism than huge power upside. He split the season between High-A Greensboro and Double-A Altoona, faring far better at the former stop. Between the two affiliates, Cheng hit .278/.353/.456 with 12 homers and 26 stolen bases. He struck out just 18.7% of the time while drawing walks at a 9.7% clip.
Rays Designate Calvin Faucher, Cooper Criswell For Assignment
The Rays are selecting infielder Austin Shenton and right-hander Yoniel Curet to the 40-man roster, tweets Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. In corresponding moves, righties Calvin Faucher and Cooper Criswell have been designated for assignment. The Rays also avoided arbitration with left-hander Tyler Alexander on a one-year deal, Topkin adds.
Shenton, a left-handed hitting corner infielder, was a fifth round pick of the Mariners in 2019. Seattle traded the Florida International product to Tampa Bay at the 2021 deadline to bring in reliever Diego Castillo. He has spent the past couple seasons in the upper minors. The 25-year-old had a breakout year in 2023, combining for a .304/.423/.584 batting line between Double-A Montgomery and Triple-A Durham. He walked at a massive 16.3% clip against an elevated 26.7% strikeout rate.
Curet, 21, is a 6’2″ hurler from the Dominican Republic. He’s still in the low minors. Curet split this year between Low-A Charleston and High-A Bowling Green. He combined for a 2.94 ERA through 104 innings, striking out a third of opponents. A near-17% walk rate points to significant control issues to be ironed out, yet the Rays were evidently still concerned another team could stash Curet as an upside flier in their bullpen.
Faucher joined the Rays at the 2021 trade deadline as part of the ill-fated Nelson Cruz/Joe Ryan deal. The 28-year-old has pitched 47 innings over 39 appearances in the last two seasons. He has allowed 6.32 earned runs per nine with a middling 20.8% strikeout rate and a lofty 10% walk percentage. Faucher ended the season on the injured list with biceps tendinitis.
Criswell was on and off the active roster this year. He posted a 3.93 ERA in 84 2/3 Triple-A innings but allowed a 5.73 ERA over 33 MLB frames. Criswell is a good strike-thrower but hasn’t missed many bats at the highest level. Both he and Faucher will be traded or put on waivers within the next week.
Alexander was just claimed off waivers from the Tigers. He is in his second season of arbitration eligibility. Financial terms of his deal weren’t disclosed. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projected him for a $2MM salary, although it’s not uncommon for deals for borderline non-tender candidates to come in below those forecasts.
Tigers Select Wilmer Flores, Dillon Dingler
The Tigers announced they’ve added right-hander Wilmer Flores and catcher Dillon Dingler to the 40-man roster. In corresponding moves, righties Brenan Hanifee and Freddy Pacheco have been designated for assignment. Flores and Dingler would otherwise have been eligible for the Rule 5 draft.
Flores, the younger brother of the Giants veteran infielder of the same name, is a 22-year-old pitcher from Venezuela. He went undrafted in 2020 out of an Arizona junior college. While he entered pro ball without much fanfare, Flores has developed into one of the best prospects in the system. He was a fringe top 100 talent going into 2023. Baseball America ranked him eighth in the Detroit organization midseason.
Listed at 6’4″ and 225 pounds, Flores has prototype size. Scouting reports praise his mid-90s sinker and an offspeed combination of a cutter and curveball. He also has solid control and is regarded as a potential starter. Flores spent the bulk of 2023 at Double-A Erie, pitching to a 3.90 ERA through 90 2/3 innings. He struck out 24.3% of opponents and kept the ball on the ground at a 48.6% clip while walking a slightly elevated 9.5% of batters faced.
Dingler, 25, is a right-handed hitting catcher. The Tigers selected him with the 38th pick in the 2020 draft out of Ohio State. He ranked sixth in the system midseason at Baseball America. The outlet praised his athleticism, arm strength and defensive potential. While there’s a lot of swing-and-miss to his game, he has shown strong plate discipline and some power upside in a 6’3″ frame.
Dingler split this year between three minor league levels, hitting .256/.361/.478 with 16 homers through 89 games. He struck out in nearly 28% of his plate appearances while walking 11% of the time. He’s likely to start next season in Triple-A but could get a big league look at some point in 2024.
Hanifee got a cup of coffee late in the ’23 campaign. The 25-year-old pitched five innings over three relief appearances, allowing three runs. He averaged 93.7 MPH on his sinker in that limited look. Before his call-up, Hanifee worked in a swing role at Triple-A Toledo. The former fourth round draftee turned in a 4.38 ERA in 90 1/3 innings spanning 25 appearances. He kept the ball on the ground at a massive 57.2% clip that could get him some attention in a minor trade or waiver claim in the next week.
Pacheco, a pure reliever, hasn’t throw a pitch in the Detroit organization. The Tigers claimed him off waivers from the Cardinals during Spring Training. He opened the season on the injured list and underwent UCL surgery in early June. It’s likely that recovery will carry into the ’24 campaign. Pacheco has yet to make his MLB debut but turned in strong results in the upper minors with St. Louis in 2022.